WordPress Daily Prompt Q: Are you a good judge of character?
Answer: Yes – of character based on behavior.
“Character” of individuals and institutions:
SMNI, an outlet that allows itself to be a channel of death threats, ominous and unfounded red-tagging that endangers lives, and of harmful disinformation :
The clear and present danger test, applicable to all, where utterances with their context most likely lead to loss of lives/loss of life, or mayhem and destruction, as a standard, is the only safe and true ground upon which the right to freedom of expression can reside. All other arguments lead to confusing comparisons, confusing differentiation, confusing congress-charter-change debates, and in some cases, dangerous selective application, illegal shutdown, and discrimination, that work as forms of prior restraint on those selected.
(the interview below was conducted on 2-hours’ notice right before our Law on Mass Media class – Many thanks to the interviewee and producers (ABS-CBN News) for the opportunity to explain the clear and present danger rule as the only valid ground upon which utterances that endanger lives can be put to a stop)
